P.M. BRIEFING : Italians to Get Help in Picking Pasta

ditional Italian pasta will get a special government quality control mark under a measure aimed at helping consumers distinguish it from cheaper imported mixed wheat pasta, news reports said today.

According to the measure, approved by the Cabinet and expected to take effect this year, foreign pasta makers will have to list their ingredients on packages they want to sell in Italy. Even diners in restaurants will have to be notified of the type of pasta they are eating, according to the new law.

Traditional Italian pasta, made from durum wheat, stays firm when cooked, an important quality for those who like it al dente. In July, the European Economic Community Court of Justice overturned an Italian law that barred the sale of pasta not made entirely with durum wheat.